iii. dictated

[heloise]

Would you leave the Castle now, if you could?

Friday was unfortunate. But for most of the year, surely it has given us a comfortable home and the most singular of friends.

And so, as for myself, I would not. I should like to tarry here a little longer, if only to relish the taste of liberty and the fruits of invention. Refrigerators are so magnificent!

[ With that, she will be in the kitchen with the fridge door open, sticking her hands into it with glee. ]

Comments

[secondchances]

That's one of the jobs of a brother, I guess.

[heloise]

What of the jobs of a sister? Is it also to approve of no wife?

[secondchances]

Beats me. But I think it involves teasing, becoming friends with his wife, and sharing embarrassing stories about said brother. That's what I would do, anyway.

[heloise]

[ She chuckles. ] Then I have fulfilled my duties well.

[secondchances]

See, some things transcend time.

[heloise]

Do you have siblings, Stephanie?

[secondchances]

Not really, no. I mean, I don't have any biological siblings, but I do have a pain in the butt that might as well be related for all the headaches he gives me. That's as close as I get.

[heloise]

[ She laughs. ] I suppose the headaches are the true measure of relation.

[secondchances]

Does your brother give you headaches?

[heloise]

Juan does, perhaps, as he gives my father headaches! But Cesare soothes them.

[secondchances]

Oh, so he's the good brother. [Teasing:] Do you give anyone headaches?

[heloise]

The best brother. [ She laughs. ] I do try not to, but I hazard I have.

[secondchances]

Maybe he'll show up one day. Ezio's sister ended up here not too long after he did.

[heloise]

That would be all my dreams come true.

I think he will be fond of you, as you are my friend.

[secondchances]

[Steph laughs.]

I'd love to meet him, then. No way we wouldn't get along with you in common.

[heloise]

[ She chuckles. ] Then we would have enough people to play a game of cards, with Ezio as well.

[secondchances]

Sounds like fun to me. We should do that anyway. I think you'd like board games, too.

[heloise]

It seems there is no end to the things you teach me, Stephanie.

[secondchances]

I'm sure there will be, just not yet. And fun stuff, like games? That will take a while.

[heloise]

What is your favorite board game?

[secondchances]

I like Scrabble a lot. You get tiles with letters on them and spell words, building off other words people have previously made with their own tiles.

[heloise]

So it depends on one's vocabulary? I think I should enjoy that.

[secondchances]

We'll definitely play sometime, then. I won't go easy on you.

[heloise]

And I will not either.

[secondchances]

[Fully expects to go down in flames. Let's make this worse.]

If you don't think he'll cramp our style, I guess we could invite Ezio to play, too. You could show off some modern clothing and I could get two birds with one stone by showing you both how good I am at Scrabble at the same time.

[MODEST modern clothing.]